I am constantly being asked which camera should I get? Which is better Canon or Nikon? So here’s my brief take on cameras.
The Nikon vs Canon debate (which sometimes ends up being a heated argument) was going on when I bought my first camera nearly 30 years ago and I am sure it will be an ongoing discussion for quite some time yet to come. Why people get so inflamed and passionate about a camera system has always baffled me. The truth of the matter is both systems have there good points and weaknesses. There are certain models of cameras and lenses that are better than others, this holds true for either Canon or Nikon. My advice, as someone who has used both systems is, it really doesn’t matter which one you use. Both are very capable systems and are excellent tools for capturing images. In fact my pictures would be identical regardless of which system I used. I wish that the people who obsess with camera technology would give as much thought to creativity and visual design as they do with camera and lens specifications.
Around 5 years ago many professional photographers were making the switch from film to digital, that’s about the time when the top DSLR cameras surpassed film in quality. And at that time many photographers also switched from Nikon to Canon camera systems, myself included. In the evolution of digital cameras, Canon at that time had the lead over Nikon. One look at the photos from either of the top end cameras at the time (Nikon D2x and Canon 1Ds MKII) is all that it took to make a clear decision which had the better file, both were good and better than film. But the Canon was by far the better camera at the time, it was also almost twice the price as the Nikon. Photographers who wanted the best quality of image, made the jump to Canon. And in doing so they took a high financial hit. Most of the photographers that I know and have heard about all say it cost them about at least $20,000. to make the switch.
That was then, now in the past year Nikon has introduced some cameras models that have now completely leveled the playing field. I wouldn’t say one system has the upper hand over the other. You can’t go wrong with either system. In fact there are also other manufacturers that produce excellent cameras, Sony for example. You shouldn’t be asking should I get a Nikon, Canon, Pentax, Sony or Panasonic thinking that one is far superior to another. That’s just not the case anymore. The real question should be which model of camera should you get? What features in a camera do you really need? How many megapixels do you need? What about a full 35mm frame sensor or a smaller 1.5 to 1.6 cropped sensor? An often overlooked specification is noise, the newer cameras certainly seem to be improving on this. When holding the camera do you like the feel of it? Do the controls and their location make sense to you? What’s the shutter lag like? (The time from when you press the shutter until the camera actually takes the picture) How frames per second is the motor drive and how many do you need? Do you need a camera that has the fastest and best autofocus? What’s the viewfinder like, is it bright, is the eyecup comfortable to use? Many of the newer DSLR’s have Live View, is this a feature that you’d use? Cameras are now starting to add HD video recording capabilities. I have a camera that has this feature, I haven’t shot a movie with it yet and I’m not sure if I ever will. For me this wasn’t an important feature in the camera, but for some people it is. There’s lots to think about when buying a camera and I haven’t even mentioned lens choices.
If it’s your first DSLR purchase, the choices can be daunting. If you’re upgrading, the choices can be confusing. But if you do your research and can find a camera sales person that you can trust, yes there are some that are actually out there – I know a few, making a decision is a whole lot easier. A couple of web sites that I’ve found useful in reviewing the features of many cameras is Digital Photography Review and Photography Review. It would be great if I could help everyone with their camera choice. For people who have taken or who are on or have registered for one of my workshops, I am more than happy to help them. I wish I could offer my advice to everyone else, unfortunately because of time constraints I just can’t.
